Chapter 330

Chapter 330

After leaving his gift for the Gray Rock Sect, Anton waited for them to arrive to deal with their grievances. While nobody wanted to be forced into a battle to the death, the potential losses to the Gray Rock Sect were much lower if things were dealt with this way. That wasnt including Anton, where there was the potential they would be completely and totally annihilated without even being able to see him. They hadnt gone so far off a reasonable path that he would do that but their cooperation in the current endeavor was a conditional part of them being able to walk away without grudges.

Elder Anuja was one of their two peak Spirit Building cultivators, and she led the group- including the reluctant ones who had tried to escape. They were unwilling to face the consequences of their actions, but they didnt have a choice. Most of them would at least have the chance to survive. Technically, as long as they could win a single battle all of them had that chance. The battles werent rigged, exactly, but the challenges had all come from people who believed they could win. There was little chance that all of them were correct. Some would probably get unlucky, and some might have poor estimates of their own abilities. But they all had to deal with the results themselves.

First was Hiram. He was the strongest of the challengers, and of everyone in the area Anton had trained. His determination had driven his cultivation forward. While he had grudges with Birita like the rest of the area, the triggering event was a conflict with the Gray Rock Sect. His wife had called out their disciples as they came to collect taxes while they wouldnt even protect anyone from Birita. She was killed, and he lost an arm trying to protect her. One disciple had been easily able to do all that in a moment, but the others were equally at fault, approving the act. Thus, Hiram had challenged the four who had been together- all at once.

They probably thought they were lucky. Any one of them had no chance to beat him, but together there was so much more they could do as a group. And they were right, in a way. Their chances of defeating him as a group certainly increased.

Hiram stood across from the four disciples, glaring. He held out his arm, gesturing for them to come at him. Lets see how you do against someone who has some training cowards.

The words werent merely his opinion being expressed, though he did so wholeheartedly. It was also a method of achieving tactical superiority. They reacted just as he intended, rushing towards him in anger. They had the good sense to split up to come at him from every side, but that wasnt going to be enough.

An orb of intangible energy formed in his hand, not quite dark nor light but a mixture of both. As he flung it at one of them, the man held his arms in front of him to block. The defenses of the Gray Rock Sect were nothing to laugh at with bodies trained to be harder than stone. The early Spirit Building cultivator knew he should at least be able to take one hit from a late Spirit Building cultivator like Hiram, enough for his allies to get in position.

His energy defenses did him well, resisting a good portion of the attack. Unfortunately, his body itself was of no use against the deathly energy. Black lines drove into his body, pulling something out of him and sending a line of power back to Hiram. The attack still took more out of him than he regained, but he was not shy about launching another attack immediately at a different target.

Seeing what happened to the first disciple, the second dodged out of the way- but Hiram was able to trigger the orb to explode nearby. Once again it tore through energy defenses, though the damage was not as bad as the direct hit. The first disciple was unsteady on his feet as he tried to circle around to his position, but the second merely felt a bit fatigued.

A moment later they were all around Hiram, each taking a stance with their heavy hammers held towards him. They attacked together in a maneuver that was clearly practiced for this exact situation.

If they had taken Hiram any less seriously, they would have all died in that moment. Even so, a cloud of deathly energy formed about him. Instead of trying to retreat from the attacks, he chose to charge towards the third disciple, sweeping over him with the greater speed his cultivation afforded him. Hiram slipped under the hammer swing as he passed, his hand trailing down the mans arm as he went. Even as Anton watched the limb shriveled until it was barely functional.

The Deathly Heart Technique was not something to be practiced lightly. It was horrible to any touched by it, crippling whoever it did not kill. It was the sort of technique that could easily be called a forbidden technique. It had dangers to its own user as well, roadblocks that couldnt be surpassed without side effects- or killing someone. Yet it also didnt necessarily cross into an unforgivable line, as Anton saw it. The harm it caused would certainly be painful, but as it was followed up with a swift death it wasnt unnecessarily sadistic in function. With the end result being death, it wasnt much different from other techniques performed correctly. And sometimes people needed to die. Hiram had been fortunate enough to have access to elder Naheeds corpse to avoid side effects, but Anton believed he wouldnt have killed anyone in an unjustified manner to progress. Thus, the negatives would have all fallen on his head.

Some people chose to settle the battle with payment. Some fought before reaching that point, others continued until they were so injured they couldnt continue. Serious enough injuries were probably worse than giving up resources, but not everyone from the Gray Rock Sect believed that they would lose or get injured.

Anton stepped in to stop things were necessary. That included saving a few members of the Gray Rock Sect from what would have been deadly blows. He wasnt a neutral observer, but he at least wanted to be something close to fair. If possible, he wanted to avoid the situation where the Gray Rock Sect just formed deeper grudges with the other locals and ended up in a war at a later date. Some people would still hold anger in their hearts, but this was the best that could be managed without someone watching over the area for years and managing disputes.

The final grudge was settled with an apology. The cultivators whole body was pressed to the ground, and for all of Antons insight it was sincere. The Gray Rock Sect wasnt made up of just one type, after all. If they went around killing everyone who slighted them in any way, they would have attracted much more attention. Eventually, some righteous sect would have come to deal with them- once they were well known enough. Unless they grew strong enough. Unfortunately, cultivators who were evil but strong enough often were able to get away with their activities for a long time, as nobody was willing to go against them. Such instances were rare as far as Anton knew, but still very real.

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So what are you going to do with the rest of your life? Anton asked Hiram. I dont believe it would be a good use of your efforts to continue with your prior plan to wipe out the Gray Rock Sect. It would undermine the whole effort we made.

I knew that already, he nodded. I got my revenge. But Im certain there are many more who have not been able to get theirs. I plan to seek them out.

Be careful, Anton said. Not only for your personal safety- that cultivation technique makes you a target, if people dont know who you are. Or perhaps if they do. In addition not everyones grievances are as honest as yours. Take special care to hone your insight. If something seems suspicious, it would not hurt to delay acting for a time of investigation. At the very least, you will be watching in case further harm is attempted.

Hiram waved his one hand, I know, I know. Im not a kid. Sometimes people are out to manipulate you. I get that.

Pfft, not a kid? What are you, not even sixty? Anton leaned forward. Thats basically a kid. So make sure to watch out for strangers.

Yeah? Theres an old guy I saw who carries a bow everywhere. Think hes dangerous.

Oh, absolutely. Be careful with that one.

Anton continued to joke with Hiram for a time. The man seemed to be making the effort to move past his pain, but Anton knew it wasnt just gone- not with the seven years before, and it would still linger into the future. But at least he might prevent other harm in the future- or give people the chance to avenge themselves.